FP3+: How to display SIM contacts

Hi all,

I got yesterday my FP3+ and I’m now struggling with the following problem.

On my old dual SIM phone I had personal contacts stored in my Google account and work contacts stored in SIM2 (I didn’t have any contact on SIM1).

I moved both SIMs on the FP3+ but I can’t see contacts stored in SIM2.

I guess the installed Contacts app (Google Contacts) is not able to show them, is it?

If this is the problem, can you suggest me an app, without annoying pop-ups, to manage contacts? On the old phone I’ve always used the default application so I never had to choose one on the Market.

Thanks.

Ciao,
Max

1 Like

Try “Dumbphone Assistant” - available in f-droid (add-free and clean)

2 Likes

In Google Contacs I can see Settings Import and import from SIM. I have on,y one SIM but maybe this would get the work ones off the second SIM?

Thanks Frank, I’ll have a look at it.

Ciao,
Max

@mpolito1969 Just to confirm that I have the same issue with the default ‘Contacts’ app. I had to transfer the contacts to the phone to be able to see or use them.

Apparently, it looks impossible to use the SIM as a contact storage on a Fairphone. I’ve spent some time on F-Droid but I couldn’t find anything useful to use contacts stored on SIMs.

Does anybody knows about any other repository where I can search for this kind of app? The last chance is Google Play but that’s an ads repository…

Regards,
Max

Hi Max,

this is not Fairphone-specific. Android supports importing SIM contacts, but not storing and using them from the card as a permanent solution. See

Add, move or import contacts - Android - Contacts Help (google.com)

I personally think this makes sense because you will not use your contacts when the SIM becomes defective.

Pretty much a prejudice IMHO. For developers who want to make a living from their work, ads are one way of monetizing. Apps that contain ads are clearly marked as such in the Play Store. And Google Play has at least some level of QA and security (I really appreciate the regular on-device Play Protect scans).

Best wishes,
Thomas

I think it’s Fairphone specific in the sense that all other phones I used had a stock app to manage contacts that gave me the chance to use that SIM functionality also. Apparently Fairphone made another choice and doesn’t give this chance to customers.

Developers have their right to make a living out their job as I also made my living working as a developer for many years. Google correctly mark them as having ads so I’m not saying it’s a fraud. Nonetheless, I prefer to have a clean GUI, that’s why I prefer open source, when I can choose. I was probably a bit excessive with Google Play in defining it an ads repository.

Thanks for taking the time to respond, I also wish you all the best.

Regards,
Max

It’s rather the other way around.
@teezeh is right about the normal Android functionality, by default Android only supports importing SIM contacts to the phone.

If you had other functionality on your prior phones without using third party Apps for this, the respective phone vendors went to this or that length to add the functionality themselves and then to maintain it themselves to make sure it was compatible with every OS update they rolled out.
It’s obviously not every vendor’s favourite approach to this.

You might contact Fairphone support to lobby for what you want, perhaps they can say what your chances are to get it.

2 Likes

I didn’t find criticism on the forum about this way of managing contacts so I guess it is my taste that’s a bit different.

I won’t bother the support lobbying about that, I’d rather move to Google way :grin:.

Thanks for your reply.

Regards,
Max

I am about to install the Samsung contacts apk and will see if that does the job

1 Like

Please let me know if it does.

Had no luck with samsung, just keeps stopping.
SIM Contacts via apkpure.com works but it has an advert at the bottom and i’m not adept enough to code it out.

Just a matter of time before one is available, will keep testing :slight_smile:

1 Like

Ok I have found a simple app, Dumbphone Assistant
Its only function is to move contacts between phone and sim, so good as a backup option and ability to compare

You’re late it was already suggested :grin:

(but I forgot to reply him so thanks for the reminder).

It doesn’t solve because I’d like to keep my work contacts on the company SIM and use them from there.

Regards,
Max

Sorry, I forgot to reply, I thought I did it…

Thanks for your suggestion, I had a look at it but it doesn’t solve as I’d like keeping my contacts (some of them…) on the SIM and use them from there.

Regards,
Max

Are you ok with an app that has adds bar at the bottom?:frowning: unless you pay for the pro version, some $3
Edit Tried again but adds pop up when i don’t expect :frowning:

I haven’t given up looking yet and i may even hack what’s available.

Hey don’t spend all that time on my issue, I was almost resigned to defeat and ready to accept Google policy “give me everything” :grin:

Anyway, I can live with a couple of ads or spend 3$, don’t worry. If you’ve find an app that I can use to call contacts in my SIM it’s OK.

There are a couple almost identical for example see

I downloaded it but when I tried to install the phone said “I can’t open file”, I downloaded again with the same result. I also changed the file extension from xapk to apk but didn’t work.

I’ll tell you what… I’ll import contacts from SIM to phone and I’ll keep them on the phone. I think we’ve spent too much time on this issue.

Thanks for your support.

Regards,
Max